Gardenia plant named ‘RLH-GA1’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Gardenia  plant named ‘RLH-GA1’, characterized by its compact, upright to outwardly spreading and mounding plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching habit with short internodes; dense and bushy appearance; plants require minimal pruning; flexible lateral branches that resist cracking and splitting; relatively small and dark green-colored leaves; color is maintained during the winter and under low and high light conditions; freely flowering habit with flowering continuous during the spring and early summer; strongly fragrant single white-colored flowers that become yellow in color with development; and excellent garden performance and temperature tolerance.

Botanical designation: Gardenia augusta.

Cultivar denomination: ‘RLH-GA1’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Gardeniaplant, botanically known as Gardenia augusta and hereinafter referred toby the name ‘RLH-GA1’.

The new Gardenia plant is a naturally-occurring branch mutation ofGardenia augusta ‘Daisy’, not patented. The new Gardenia plant wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plant fromwithin a population of plants of ‘Daisy’ in a controlled environment inSeneca, S.C. in 2010.

Asexual reproduction of the new Gardenia plant by semi-hardwood andhardwood stem cuttings in a controlled greenhouse environment in Seneca,S.C. since 2011 has shown that the unique features of this new Gardeniaplant are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the new Gardenia have not been observed under all possibleenvironmental conditions and cultural practices. The phenotype may varysomewhat with variations in environmental conditions such as temperatureand light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘RLH-GA1’. These characteristics incombination distinguish ‘RLH-GA1’ as a new and distinct Gardenia plant:

-   -   1. Compact, upright to outwardly spreading and mounding plant        habit.    -   2. Moderately vigorous growth habit.    -   3. Freely branching habit with short internodes; dense and bushy        appearance; plants require minimal pruning.    -   4. Flexible lateral branches that resist cracking and splitting.    -   5. Relatively small and dark green-colored leaves; color is        maintained during the winter and under low and high light        conditions.    -   6. Freely flowering habit with flowering continuous during the        spring and early summer.    -   7. Strongly fragrant single white-colored flowers that become        yellow in color with development.    -   8. Excellent garden performance and temperature tolerance.

Plants of the new Gardenia can be compared to plants of the mutationparent, ‘Daisy’. Plants of the new Gardenia differ primarily from plantsof ‘Daisy’ in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gardenia are more compact than plants of        ‘Daisy’.    -   2. Plants of the new Gardenia are more outwardly spreading than        and not as upright as plants of ‘Daisy’.    -   3. Plants of the new Gardenia have a slower growth rate than        plants of ‘Daisy’.    -   4. Plants of the new Gardenia are more freely branching than        plants of ‘Daisy’.    -   5. Plants of the new Gardenia have slightly smaller flowers than        plants of ‘Daisy’.

Plants of the new Gardenia can also be compared to plants of Gardeniajasminoides ‘Radicans’, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons,plants of the new Gardenia and ‘Radicans’ differ primarily in thefollowing characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Gardenia are more mounding than and not as        outwardly creeping as plants of ‘Radicans’.    -   2. Plants of the new Gardenia have a slower growth rate than        plants of ‘Radicans’.    -   3. The plant habit of the new Gardenia is denser and bushier        than and not as open as the plant habit of ‘Radicans’.    -   4. Plants of the new Gardenia are more freely flowering than        plants of ‘Radicans’.    -   5. Plants of the new Gardenia produce single-type flowers        whereas plants of ‘Radicans’ produce double-type flowers.    -   6. Plants of the new Gardenia are more low temperature tolerant        than plants of ‘Radicans’.    -   7. Plants of the new Gardenia are more freely flowering than        plants of ‘Radicans’.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Gardenia plant showing the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in thephotographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in thedetailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors ofthe new Gardenia plant.

The photograph on the first sheet comprises a side perspective view of atypical flowering plant of ‘RLH-GA1’ grown in an outdoor nursery.

The photograph on the second sheet is a close-up view of a typical plantof ‘RLH-GA1’ with developing flower buds, developing flowers and fullyopened flowers.

The photograph on the third sheet is a close-up view of a typical plantof ‘RLH-GA1’ with developing flowers and fully opened flowers.

The photograph on the fourth sheet is a close-up view of a typical plantof ‘RLH-GA1’ with developing flower buds, fully opened flowers andflowers that have turned yellow in color with subsequent development.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aforementioned photographs and following observations, measurementsand values describe plants grown during the spring and early summer inseven-gallon containers in outdoor nurseries in El Campo and Fort Worth,Tex. and under cultural practices typical of commercial Gardeniaproduction. During the production of the plants, day temperaturesaveraged 24° C. and night temperatures averaged 14° C. Plants were threeyears old when the photographs and the description were taken. In thefollowing description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, Fifth Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Gardenia augusta ‘RLH GA1’.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring branch mutation of Gardenia augusta    ‘Daisy’, not patented.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—By semi-hardwood and hardwood stem cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots, summer.—About 10 to 14 days at            temperatures about 27° C. to 30° C.        -   Time to initiate roots, winter.—About 18 to 25 days at            temperatures about 16° C. to 17° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, summer.—About 45 to 60            days at temperatures about 27° C. to 30° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant, winter.—About 60 to 80            days at temperatures about 16° C. to 17° C.        -   Root description.—Fine to medium in thickness, fibrous;            white, close to 155A in color.        -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching; dense.-   Plant description:    -   -   Plant and growth habit.—Compact, upright to outwardly            spreading and mounding plant habit; moderately vigorous            growth habit; relatively slow growth rate; freely branching            habit with short internodes; dense and bushy appearance;            plants require minimal pruning; freely flowering habit with            numerous single-type flowers developing continuously during            the spring and early summer.        -   Plant height.—About 52 cm.        -   Plant diameter.—About 61 cm.-   Lateral branch description:    -   -   Length.—About 25 cm to 33 cm.        -   Diameter.—About 7 mm.        -   Internode length.—About 1 cm.        -   Strength.—Strong; lateral branches are flexible and resist            cracking and splitting.        -   Aspect.—Upright to outwardly spreading.        -   Texture and luster, developing.—Smooth, glabrous; matte.        -   Texture and luster, mature.—Woody, glabrous; matte.        -   Color, developing.—Close to 146A tinged with close to 166B.        -   Color, mature.—Close to 166A with waxy cuticle, close to            191D.-   Leaf description:    -   -   Arrangement.—Opposite, simple.        -   Leaf retention.—Very good leaf retention has been observed            on plants of the new Gardenia during the winter.        -   Length.—About 4 cm to 4.5 cm.        -   Width.—About 2 cm to 2.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptic to oblanceolate.        -   Apex.—Acute.        -   Base.—Cuneate to attenuate.        -   Margin.—Entire.        -   Venation pattern.—Pinnate.        -   Texture and luster, upper surface.—Pubescent; coriaceous,            tough; glossy.        -   Texture and luster, lower surface.—Pubescent; coriaceous,            tough; matte.        -   Color.—Developing leaves, upper surface: Close to 137A.            Developing leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B to 146C.            Fully expanded leaves, upper surface: Darker green than            N137A; venation, close to 146A to 146B; color is retained            during the winter and under full sun or shade conditions.            Fully expanded leaves, lower surface: Close to 146B to 146C;            venation, close to 146C.        -   Petioles.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Texture            and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth, glabrous;            slightly glossy. Color, upper surface: Close to 146A to            146B. Color, lower surface: Close to 146B to 146C.-   Flower description:    -   -   Flower arrangement and habit.—Single rotate flowers facing            mostly upright and developing in pairs at terminals and            sub-terminals; single whorl of five petals fused towards the            base into a slender tapering tube; freely flowering habit            with numerous flowers developing continuously during the            spring and early summer.        -   Fragrance.—Strongly fragrant; sweet and pleasant.        -   Natural flowering season.—Plants of the new Gardenia flower            continuously during the spring and early summer in Texas.        -   Flower longevity.—Individual flowers last about one to two            days on the plant, dependent on ambient temperatures and            water status; flowers not persistent.        -   Flower diameter.—About 5.25 cm.        -   Flower length (depth).—About 4 cm.        -   Flower buds.—Length: About 3.4 cm. Diameter: Distally, about            6 mm and proximally, about 3 mm. Shape: Roughly ovoid with            long tube. Color: Distally, close to 144A and proximally,            close to 144B to 144C.        -   Petals.—Quantity and arrangement: About six in a single            whorl. Lobe length: About 2.5 cm. Lobe width: About 1.7 cm.            Tube length: About 3 mm. Tube diameter: Distally, about 4.5            mm and proximally, about 3 mm. Lobe shape: Broadly ovate to            roughly spatulate. Lobe apex: Rounded acute. Lobe margin:            Entire, slightly undulate. Texture and luster, upper            surface: Smooth, glabrous; velvety; somewhat glossy. Texture            and luster, lower surface: Smooth, glabrous; velvety; matte.            Color: When opening, upper and lower surfaces: Close to            NN155A to NN155B. Fully opened, upper and lower surfaces:            Close to NN155A to NN155B; with development, color becoming            yellow, close to 160A and eventually, close to 12A.        -   Sepals.—Arrangement: Star-shaped calyx with six sepals fused            at the base. Length: About 1.6 cm. Width: About 2.5 mm.            Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Sharply acute. Margin: Entire.            Texture and luster, upper and lower surfaces: Smooth,            glabrous; slightly glossy. Color, upper surface: Close to            144A. Color, lower surface: Close to 144A to 144B.        -   Peduncles.—Length: About 4 mm. Diameter: About 2 mm. Angle:            Upright. Strength: Strong, flexible. Texture and luster:            Smooth, glabrous; slightly glossy. Color: Close to 144A to            144B.        -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity: Six per flower.            Anther size: About 1.2 cm by 1.5 mm. Anther shape:            Lanceolate. Anther color: Close to 163A to 163B. Pollen            amount: Moderate. Pollen color: Close to 12A. Pistils:            Pistil length: About 3.6 cm. Style length: About 2.5 cm.            Style color: Close to NN155A to NN155B. Stigma size: About            1.1 cm by 5 mm. Stigma shape: Bulbous. Stigma color: Close            to between 7A to 9A. Ovary color: Close to 160A.        -   Seeds and fruits.—To date, seed and fruit development have            not been observed on plants of the new Gardenia.-   Garden performance: Plants of the new Gardenia have been observed to    have good garden performance and to tolerate wind and temperatures    ranging from about −22° C. to about 45° C.-   Pathogen & pest resistance: To date, plants of the new Gardenia have    not been observed to be resistant to pests and pathogens common to    Gardenia plants.

It is claimed:
 1. A new and distinct Gardenia plant named ‘RLH-GA1’ asillustrated and described.